Wild Game for Your Baby- Can baby eat venison, duck, elk or other wild game?

Is It Safe to Feed Baby Wild Game like Bison, Venison, or Duck? Learn About Introducing Wild Game Meats to Your Baby

Yes, some of you wonder when you might be able to feed your baby that fresh venison or duck that has come straight out of the wild.

As with any “wild” meat, there is the outside chance that certain diseases may have affected the game.

Wild game may contain brucellosis, tularemia, or trichinosis. One should also be mindful of the possibility of harmful chemicals that may be found in wild game. Many new studies suggest that birds and fish in particular are having more highly elevated levels of PCB and also Mercury contamination. Check your local Fish & Game department for any health bulletins and warnings that may be issued in your Forest area.

Our own pediatricians recommend waiting until an infant has reached 18 months old or 24 months old to offer any type of wild game; that is game that has actually been caught from the forest. Your pediatrician may have different recommendations. Please be sure to consult your baby’s pediatrician.

What about feeding baby farm raised wild game?

Offering your baby “wild game” such as duck that has been farmed and purchased from a grocer should be fine for any infant who is tolerating meat proteins.

This link has wonderful information on food safety from “field to kitchen”. It is most important that any wild game be properly field dressed to lessen the possibility of disease and contamination. If you are going to serve your older child wild game, ensure that it is thoroughly cooked, without any pink or raw areas at all. The internal temperature should be brought above 160F.

While this page has provided the above information that has been researched, I always urge you to consult your pediatrician. There are many instances when generalities may not or will not apply to individual babies.